This quick & easy Skinny Fettuccine Cauliflower Alfredo is rich, creamy & delicious. It also happens to be really low in calories & virtually fat free!
THIS RECIPE IS SPONSORED BY NUPASTA
Rich and creamy pasta dishes are one of my all time favourite things to eat, but let's be real. They don't do your waistline much good, especially if like me, your portions are probably a lot bigger than they should be! And even though with vegan versions you lose the butter, cream and parmesan, you often end up using vegan butter and blended cashew nuts as replacements which ends up packing in the calories. The answer? Skinny Fettuccine Cauliflower Alfredo.
It is made skinny by using steamed cauliflower as a base for the sauce. Yes...We are totally skipping the calorie-laden ingredients today and making a rich and creamy sauce from a big white vegetable!
Bear with me please. I haven't lost the plot...
NO HIGH POWERED BLENDER NECESSARY
Obviously the sauce doesn't taste quite like a traditional Alfredo but it is still super creamy, rich and delicious. You will be amazed at how creamy the blended cauliflower gets and because cooked cauliflower is soft, you don't need a high powered blender to make it silky smooth like you do with nut-based sauces. I've even tried it in my food processor and got a great result.
I'm not going to lie. It does taste of cauliflower. So, if you don't like cauliflower, please don't make it. If you want something more decadent and authentic tasting, give my Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese or my Vegan Carbonara a try instead.
It is super creamy, rich and delicious though, and coats and clings perfectly. Plus it is super-duper healthy. And, what a fun way to get your cruciferous veg in?!
VIRTUALLY FAT-FREE
This Skinny Fettuccine Cauliflower Alfredo is very low in calories and virtually fat-free. Obviously adding a pile of regular fettuccine into the mix raises the calories substantially so bear that in mind, but, if you are wanting to really cut calories and still eat a big ol' plate of pasta you could try nuPasta.
WHAT IS NUPASTA?
Unlike regular starch based pasta, nuPasta is fibre based. It is made with the konjac plant, a root vegetable whose main component is glucomannan, a water soluble dietary fibre. It comes pre-cooked in packages like the one in my photo above and is shelf-stable so does not need to be refrigerated. It is a perfect option for anyone who eats gluten-free or is diabetic, as well as anyone watching their weight or restricting carbs.
Get this? It has only 25 calories per portion. It is completely carb free and is packed with fibre. It's kind of unbelievable. I struggled to get my head around the idea that something with so much substance can be so low in calories. But it is, and combined with my Skinny Alfredo Sauce it makes for an extremely low calorie, low fat dinner.
HOW TO SERVE MY SKINNY FETTUCCINE CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO
I love to serve this Skinny Fettuccine Cauliflower Alfredo with a side of peas. There is something about the pop of green colour and the little bursts of sweetness amongst the fettuccine tangles that I love. It also works well with a crisp green salad or just a sprinkle of fresh parsley. To add some healthy fats make yourself some vegan parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.
Leftover sauce keeps well in the fridge for three or four days and can be used in lots of different ways:
- Add more nutritional yeast and mix with macaroni for a quick mac and cheese
- Drizzle over pizza or use on the base of a homemade pizza instead of pizza sauce
- Use in place of Béchamel sauce in lasagne
- Stir through risotto to make it super creamy
- Use in place of canned soups in creamy casseroles
- Stir a little through soups at the end of cooking to make them creamy
Hungry for more?
If you are enjoying this recipe then you might also like my Cherry Tomato Sauce and my Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce recipe.
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Skinny Fettuccine Cauliflower Alfredo
Ingredients
- 350g / ½ medium head of cauliflower
- ½ small onion , finely chopped (roughly golf ball size before halving)
- 2 large cloves garlic , finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt , plus more to taste if required
- a good grind of black pepper , plus more to taste if required
- 2 - 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 60mls / ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 90mls / ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk , use a much as you need to get the sauce the consistency you like . You might need a little more or less.
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika or chipotle powder
- 1½ teaspoon sweet white miso paste , OPTIONAL
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , OPTIONAL
- 840g (4 small packages) NuPasta Fettuccine , or 400g / 14oz dried fettuccine , (or other pasta of choice)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook the cauliflower until fork tender. I like to steam it but you can boil it if you prefer. Drain and add to a blender.
- While the cauliflower is cooking gently sauté the onion until transparent then add the garlic and carry on cooking until it is just starting to turn golden. Remove from the heat and add to a blender.
- Add all of the other ingredients to the blender, EXCEPT the milk and fettuccine. The olive oil is optional but makes the sauce glossier if added. The miso is optional but helps the flavour so if you have some please use it. It's still good without though so don't worry too much.
- When cooked, drain the cauliflower and add to the other ingredients in the blender then blend until completely smooth. This might take a few minutes, especially if you don't have a high powered blender. Add the milk gradually as needed until the sauce is the consistency you want. You might need slightly more or less than stated.
IF USING NUPASTA
- Remove from the packaging and rinse in a sieve under a running tap for at least 20 seconds.
- Add the sauce to a large pan and warm gently. Once hot add the nuPasta Fettuccine. It is already cooked so will only take a minute or two to warm through in the hot sauce. Serve immediately.
IF USING DRIED FETTUCCINE
- Bring a large pan of salted boiling water to a rolling boil then drop in the fettuccine and cook as per the packaging instructions.
- While it is cooking warm the sauce gently in a pan.
- Cook the fettuccine until al dente then drain and return to the pan. Pour as much sauce as you need into the fettuccine and stir gently to coat. Serve immediately.
Alternatively serve with zoodles (zucchini noodles).
NOTES
NUTRITION
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This post is sponsored by nuPasta. Thank you for continuing to support the brands who help make this site possible.
Molly says
SO YUM! I am AMAZED with how creamy and delicious this sauce was. It just goes to show that a little reimagination of some of your favourite meals is all you need. Pasta dishes DON'T need to be so fattening and heavy. You WILL like this sauce.
Thanks for sharing :)
Lisa says
I just tried this recipe for the first time today, after wanting to find a new vegan trick for cooking up cauliflower. This will now be a staple in my repertoire for sure! I can't believe how creamy and flavourful this is - who needs dairy! Thank you for such a delicious, easy-to-follow recipe.
A Virtual Vegan says
So pleased you enjoyed it Lisa!
sophia meldrum says
Honestly the most delicious non cheese - cheese dish ever!! such an easy recipe to follow and so effective, I will DEFINITELY BE EATING THIS AGAIN!!!!! I added mushrooms which is quite yum too xx
Amanda j alves says
Great! I also added mushrooms, and broccoli, and used angel hair pasta, like another poster mentioned. I didnt have any miso or really anything spicy which it could have used and I'll add next time.
Cori says
WOW this recipe is amazing! I added sautéed mushrooms and roasted tomatoes to top it off, and I used angel hair pasta because its my favorite. I’ve been vegan for almost a year now and always have nights when I crave Fettuccine Alfredo. Now I’ll always make this recipe. Thank you SO much!
Melanie McDonald says
Thank you Cori. I'm really pleased you are enjoying it. If you want a really great, not so healthy alfredo, there is an awesome Roasted Garlic one in my cookbook! I actually shared in on Parade's website and you can see it here if you want to make it https://parade.com/906987/melaniemcdonald/roasted-garlic-vegan-alfredo/
lillian says
I just made this tonight and topped it off with some homemade parm, served with a side of roasted green beans, and I had one heck of a delicious meal 😋 I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow 😀
Melanie McDonald says
Sounds perfect! I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Lillian!
Natalie says
This sauce is amazing I loved it...so did my Italian husband! I used red miso as that’s all I had but it worked, this is definitely on my list of favourite meals. Thank you for such a great and easy recipe ????????????
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you both enjoyed it Natalie!
HB says
I used the leftover sauce as a pizza sauce to make a vegan pizza tonight....this is a very versatile sauce!
HB says
Just made this tonight....it was delicious! I didn’t have miso paste so I omitted that but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Emily says
Hi Melanie,
This recipe looks divine and I am beyond excited to try it out! I was wondering, is it possible to combine the ingredients in a food processor rather than a blender?
Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
Because everything is pretty soft to start with it will be fine. Just make sure you process until it's completely smooth. Hope you enjoy it!
Anita says
Where to get Nupasta in California?
A Virtual Vegan says
According to their website it is only available in Canada. Sorry! Hopefully they will make it to the U.S soon. Until then there is a very similar brand called Skinny Pasta that is available in the U.S. Here it is on Amazon http://amzn.to/2xH3JvK
Dianne's Vegan Kitchen says
I love that you've made the sauce with cauliflower rather than cashews. This pasta sounds great! I'm going to have to see if it's available here.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Dianne! I hope you find some.
Alisa Fleming says
I love konjac pasta! And that wonderful veggie-rich sauce looks like the perfect complement. I really need to be on the lookout for that brand!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Alisa. I hope you find some!
Jenn says
This sauce looks so super creamy! Can't wait to try it!
A Virtual Vegan says
Hope you enjoy it!
Susan says
I cannot eat nutritional yeast. Is this recipe do-able without it? I notice pretty much all cheese recipes have it or nuts. Which I cant have either....
A Virtual Vegan says
It is definitely do-able. It hides the cauliflower taste a little but if you are ok with the flavour being a little more prominent then go for it. It will be just as creamy.
Amy Roberts says
Made this tonight and loved it. Definitely a keeper!
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it Amy. Thank you for coming back to leave feedback!
Linda from Veganosity says
My stomach is growling. Hahaha! This looks amazing, Melanie. I love cauliflower sauce and I have a big head of cauliflower in my fridge right now. I'm totally making this for dinner tonight.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it!